Study in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a beautiful island situated south of the Indian subcontinent. It has been known from ancient times as ‘the Pearl of the Indian Ocean’. Its location now serves as a hub of international shipping and aviation routes.

Sri Lanka’s is an ancient civilization stretching back over 2500 years. The ruins in the ancient cities and the gigantic ancient irrigation works bear testimony to a refined culture and a high level of technology.

Today, Sri Lanka is a much sought after tourist destination for people from all over the world. Its famed scenic beauty – the fabulous beaches, the verdant pristine forests, the blue mountain ranges with their perineal streams and waterfalls – is the first among its many attractions. The climate is salubrious throughout the year, except when it gets a little hot for a short while, when you can escape to the cool of the hills, if you so wish. All the modern conveniences that go to make life comfortable are available at reasonable cost (the latest official inflation index is a minus figure)

The country has been a Parliamentary democracy since the early 1930s. Governments have been made and unmade by the free will of the people. An armed conflict against a terrorist organization is now ended and peace reigns again. Residual problems are being tackled with good will.

At present Sri Lanka is near the top level of the Human Development Index having also fulfilled all the Millennium Development Goals well before time. It is one of the fastest growing economies in the developing world. Recent years have seen phenomenal infrastructure development including in telecommunication and IT.

In literacy rate Sri Lanka is at the top of its league. For citizens education is free of charge from kindergarten to university (so is health care). There is a well- established intellectual tradition and many Sri Lankans in different fields have served with distinction in world bodies. The University system is deep rooted and its’ intellectual life vibrant. In recent years many reputed world class higher educational institutions have established their facilities in Sri Lanka. You will link yourself with a country in the path of progress.

You will meet a friendly and hospitable people long accustomed to playing host to friends from overseas. Many of them speak English. The vast majority of the people are adherents of one or the other of four great world religions. The free exercise of one’s religion is guaranteed by the Constitution and there is religious tolerance and harmony. On the lighter side, there is sports and entertainment available aplenty.

You will be quite at home, with never a dull moment, while you pursue a quality education of your choice, at a moderate and reasonable cost, remaining an honoured guest.

At KIU we offer you the opportunity to immerse yourself in an exciting and rewarding student experience, making new friends, savouring different cultures and developing your personality, while you enjoy life to the fullest.

Document Checklist for Study Abroad

For university students:

A recommendation letter from the Ministry of Higher Education

A confirmation letter from the university

For students of other educational institutions and guardians of students under 16:

A request letter from the academic institution

Recommendation from the relevant embassy or high commission

Receipts from exchanging cheques for the value of US$1,500 per year per person

For religious students:

A request letter from the religious organisation

Recommendation from the line ministry

The visas are valid for one year and can be renewed for the duration of your studies. Students are advised to contact their institution or university and request that they contact the DI&E to smooth the clearance process.

Application Procedures

Selecting of students for admission to Universities in Sri Lanka is being done by University Grants Commission on the basis of an admission policy laid down from time to time by them with the concurrence of the Government. Applications are invited through a notice published in the Press from eligible candidates on forms provided for the purpose by the UGC.

The following accounts on admission is based on the publication titled “Admission to undergraduate courses of the Universities in Sri Lanka” issued annually by the UGC and can be regarded as only informative.

The following admission policy will apply in respect of forthcoming Academic years Selection of students will be done on the basis of rank order on average Z-Scores obtained by candidates at the G.C.E. (A/L) Examination. Z-Scores are released to candidates by the Commissioner General of Examinations.

Minimum Requirements for Admission

Candidates who are pronounced eligible by the Commissioner General of Examinations should have obtained;

1. At least ‘S’ Grades; in all three approved subjects and

2. A minimum mark of 30% for the Common General Paper.

Candidates who are pronounced ineligible by the Commissioner General of Examinations due to not satisfying (b) above are also allowed to apply for university admission only if they have already satisfied at previous attempt / attempts or would satisfy at any future attempt the said requirement within the three attempts allowed to sit the G.C.E. (A/L) Examination for the purpose of university admission.

Admission Criteria

1. In the case of Arts courses (i.e. Arts, Arts (SP), Arts (SAB), Communication Studies, Peace & Conflict Resolution, Islamic Studies, Arabic Language) admission will be made on an all island merit basis subject to the condition that the total number admitted from a given district will not be below the total number admitted from that district in the base academic year namely: 1993/94.

2. Admission to courses of study in Ayurveda, Unani & Siddha Medicine too will be made on an all island merit basis.

3. Admission to all courses other than the courses stated in 3.2.3.1 and 3.2.3.2 above will be made on dual criteria, namely.

Requirement to Pass the Aptitude Test

Candidates who wish to apply for the Arts (SP) Course in Sri Palee Campus, Horana should have passed the Aptitude Test, which will be conducted by the Sri Palee Campus.

The Sri Palee Campus will publish a press notice calling for applications to sit the aptitude test.

Special Admission

Apart from the normal intake of students, the UGC may select limited number of students for the selected courses of studies under the special admission criteria. The categories of candidates who can apply for special admission given below.

1. Blind and Differently Able Candidates

Under this category UGC enquire the concern of the University for sending students for the Courses of studies in Arts, Commerce, Biology & Physical Science.

Students Who Have Excelled in Fields Other than Studies: Up to 0.5% of the places from the proposed intake in each course of study other than courses offered by the University of Visual and Performing Arts has been reserved for candidates who have obtained only 1st, 2nd or 3rd places at national level and / or achievements at international levels in such fields as sports, cultural activities (e.g. dancing, painting, music and literature), scouting and cadetting, social work and other extra curricular activities during the specific period decided by the UGC.

Enlisted Personnel of Armed Forces, Police Service & Special Task Force: Up to 0.5 percent of the total number of places from the proposed intake in Medicine, Dental Surgery and Engineering is reserved for the personnel enlisted in the Armed Forces, Police Service and the Special Task Force serving in operational areas.

Sri Lankans who have Studied Abroad and Foreign Students: Up to 0.5 percent of the places from the proposed intake in each course of study have been allocated to Sri Lankan students who have obtained qualifications abroad and foreign students. Accordingly, candidates who have foreign qualifications equivalent to G.C.E (A/L) Examination of Sri Lanka are eligible to apply.

2. Admissions of Teachers

The University Grants Commission may admit to courses in Arts, Biological Science, Physical Science and Applied Sciences each year a limited number of teachers belonging to the following categories:

1. Teachers who have passed the General Arts Qualifying (External) Examination in or after 2004 having offered English as one of the subjects.

2. Teachers who have passed the General Science Qualifying (External) Examination in or after 2004.

In order to be eligible for admission under all the Special Admission Categories a candidate belonging to either of the above categories should complete the requirements described in the Admission Handbook of UGC.

3. Additional Intake

For some subjects in the Arts streams, an adequate number of students may not be selected on the basis of the admission criteria specified above. As a result, some Faculties and Departments could be in a position to admit a larger number than the number selected under the normal admission criteria. In such circumstances, the UGC may, at the request of the Universities concerned, decide to admit a limited number of additional students for selected subject areas.

In order to enrol in Sri Lankan universities, foreigners have to complete a document, which asks for information regarding past studies, parents’ occupations, and most importantly proof of the level in English (e.g. TOEFL). It also asks for proof of stay in Sri Lanka, and documentation to prove the ability to pay the costs.

The academic year lasts from January to December, and is divided into 3 parts, or two semesters. Students attend at least 190 school days per calendar year.

Applications for enrolment will be considered on an individual merit basis. However, our admissions panel may consider a very wide range of academic and professional qualifications as well as any other applicable skills and competencies at their sole discretion.

Please contact the registrar’s office if you require further clarifications on the admission procedure and relevant qualifications being considered.

If you possess qualifications which are from a country other than Sri Lanka, please contact our international relations office via internationalrelations@kiu.lk.

Please note that although we periodically review the qualification criteria, we maintain consistent entry requirements during an admissions cycle.

The visas are valid for one year and can be renewed for the duration of your studies. Students are advised to contact their institution or university and request that they contact the DI&E to smooth the clearance process and also forward the visa approval to the embassy.

Student visas

Sri Lanka - Visas & Permits

Sri Lanka offers students the opportunity to study in a diverse culture and find out first hand what this island nation has to offer.

Student visas must be obtained prior to entry into the country. Religious students, university students and people in other educational institutions approved by the state must have a student visa. Applications need to be submitted to a Sri Lankan embassy at least six weeks before arrival.

Higher education in Sri Lanka

Universities, technical and vocational colleges

Sri Lanka – Education

Tertiary education in Sri Lanka includes university, vocational colleges and technical colleges. After the collegiate step of their education, students in Sri Lanka are able to study the Sciences, Arts, Commerce or Medicine for free, although public university places are quite limited.

Students can only apply for university if they have achieved the GCE Advance Level, and although state universities exist, places are very limited. Vocational or technical college places and apprenticeships tend to only be available for students who have achieved the GCE O-Level.

There are 16 national universities in Sri Lanka, which students can attend if they pass the very difficult entrance exam.

In Sri Lanka, higher education students can either attend courses at a university known as a National College of Education (NCOE), or complete a two year long programme of vocational training which is provided by a technical college. This option is open to all students who have a GCE O Level.

At university, a student can obtain a Bachelor’s degree in 3 or 4 years, depending on the subject, as courses such as Medicine or Architecture can last 6 years. Students have to study for two more years to achieve a Master’s degree, and for a Doctorate, and extra 3 to 5 years on top of that.

In order to enrol in Sri Lankan universities, foreigners have to complete a document, which asks for information regarding past studies, parents’ occupations, and most importantly proof of the level in English (e.g. TOEFL). It also asks for proof of stay in Sri Lanka, and documentation to prove the ability to pay the costs.

The academic year lasts from January to December, and is divided into 3 parts, or two semesters. Students attend at least 190 school days per calendar year.

In order to enroll in higher education, students have to achieve a passing grade in the GCE Advance Level Examination, and also have a sufficient grade in the National College Entrance Examination. This is a legal and formal entrance exam for all universities and higher education institutions. You may be charged enrolment fees to take the exam.

Foreign students have to pay to attend a Sri Lankan university. There is a set price for each subject, and the number of years that the student is willing to study. Sri Lankan students may be able to get scholarships to go study abroad (such as the European Erasmus program, or a scholarship to study in the UK). Scholarships are also available to study within Sri Lanka, but to be eligible, Sri Lankan nationality has to be proven.